1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an advanced intelligent network that provides a system and method for delivering calling name information to a voicemail system subscriber.
2. Background of the Invention
As is well known in the art, voicemail systems (xe2x80x9cVMSxe2x80x9d) are generally accessed by subscribers through a telephone call. That is, a subscriber dials a telephone access number for the VMS and once the call is connected, the subscriber interacts with the VMS service to access voicemail messages. The subscriber normally inputs commands to the VMS service by pressing keys on the telephone to send dual-tone multifrequency (xe2x80x9cDTMFxe2x80x9d) codes. Alternatively, a VMS service may use voice-recognition systems to receive audible commands from subscribers.
Conventional VMS systems are generally capable of delivering the calling party number for stored messages. Thus, a subscriber may receive an announcement from the VMS service such as, xe2x80x9cYou have one new voicemail message, received from telephone number 111-222-3333.xe2x80x9d However, voicemail systems cannot provide the calling name associated with voicemail messages unless an extensive calling name database is created and maintained.
Some VMS services can provide limited calling name services when a private branch exchange (xe2x80x9cPBXxe2x80x9d) is used to provide internal telephone systems within an organization. For example, such a private VMS service provide a name associated with a voicemail message, provided the message was left by a caller using a telephone served by the PBX. However, such a VMS service cannot provide the calling name for external callers unless a database of external calling numbers and associated names is maintained. Such calling name databases are well known in the art. However, most calling name databases are maintained by common carrier telecommunications services (xe2x80x9ctelcosxe2x80x9d).
Thus a system and method is needed for providing calling name delivery service on a per call basis for subscribers of VMS services.
The present invention utilizes an Advanced Intelligent Network (xe2x80x9cAINxe2x80x9d) to provide a system and method for delivering the calling name information associated with a voicemail message to a voicemail system subscriber. AIN systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,301, U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,533, Bellcore Specification TR-NWT-001284, Switching Systems Generic Requirements for AIN 0.1 which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The present invention provides a system and method for interfacing a conventional VMS service with a calling name delivery service. The invention advantageously uses a standard call processing model to deliver the calling name information directly to a VMS subscriber. Thus, the present invention obviates the need for external data interfaces between the VMS service and the telco""s calling name databases. Functionally, a subscriber, connected by a telephone call to a VMS service, requests the calling name information associated with a voicemail message, by issuing a command to the VMS. Such a command is sent to the VMS using DTMF or voice commands as currently known in the art. The VMS system conferences a service node (xe2x80x9cSNxe2x80x9d) into the telephone call by dialing a customized dialing plan (xe2x80x9cCDPxe2x80x9d) code and the telephone number associated with the voicemail message. A CDP trigger on the service switching point (xe2x80x9cSSPxe2x80x9d) serving the VMS, causes the SSP to launch a query to a service control point (xe2x80x9cSCPxe2x80x9d) to identify which SN to conference in on the call. The SCP directs the call to a special access number for the appropriate SN based on the telephone number associated with the voicemail message.
Once the SN is conferenced in with the subscriber and the VMS service, the SN immediately provides the calling name for the voicemail message and may receive subsequent commands from the subscriber. For example, the subscriber may wish to have the calling name repeated. After the subscriber is finished listening to the calling name information, the SN hangs up, leaving only the subscriber and the VMS service on the telephone call. The subscriber may continue interacting with the VMS service, and issue commands, including a request for calling name information for the same or subsequent voicemail messages.
The SCP acts as a gatekeeper to restrict access to the SN so that only authorized callers, i.e., authorized VMS services, can obtain calling name information through this system and method. Additionally, the SCP selects the appropriate SN to handle the call based on the telephone number associated with the voicemail message. Due to the large size of a telco""s calling name database, the telco may split the database into several parts and store the individual portions of the database on several SNs. Thus, the SCP maintains an index identifying which SN maintains which portion of the database. When a query is sent by the switch to the SCP, the SCP checks this index to determine the new routing instructions for the call. The SCP responds to the query by inserting the special telephone access number for the particular SN in the called party number (xe2x80x9cCdPNxe2x80x9d) field and inserting the telephone number provided by the VMS service in the calling party number (xe2x80x9cCgPNxe2x80x9d) field.
The SN is programmed to answer any calls to the special telephone access number as soon as a call comes in. This minimizes any delays for the subscriber requesting the calling name information. The SN uses the CgPN to look up the calling name information in its database. Upon answering the call, the SN plays a computer generated voice response delivering the calling name information, as described above. Thus, the subscriber receives the calling name information through standard call processing techniques. In a preferred embodiment, the SN is programmed to instruct the subscriber to press a pre-determined digit if the name should be repeated, or to press a different pre-defined number to return to the VMS service.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for interfacing conventional voicemail services with conventional calling name databases.
It is a further object of the present invention to deliver calling name information to a voicemail subscriber using the existing telephone infrastructure.